Post puller attachment for tractors



April 3, 1955 P. M. HAMBORG POST FULLER ATTACHMENT FOR TRACTORS 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 24, 1950 April 3, 1956 P. M. HAMBORG 2,740,210

POST FULLER ATTACHMENT FOR TRACTORS Filed May 24, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2I Peter MHamborg POST FULLER ATTACHMENT FOR TRACTORS Peter M. Hamburg,Roscoe, Ill., assignor to Andrew F. Wintercorn, Rockford, lli.

' Application May 24, 1950, Serial No. 163,989

9 Claims. (Cl. 37-2) This invention relates to a new and improved postpuller attachment for tractors and the like.

The principal object of my invention is to provide an attachment for thepurpose mentioned, designed for easy application to the drawbar on therear end of a conventional tractor, and consisting of a pair or grapplehooks having cam-shaped extensions on their pivoted end portions, whichare so arranged when the hooks are spread open for connection with apost to come into abutment with'the post when the tractor is backed upagainst it, whereby positively to close the hooks automatically on thepost and thus make ready for the post to be pulled out upon the forwardmovement of the tractor, thereby obviating any necessity for the drivergetting off the tractor to connect the hooks to a post, and speeding upthe post pulling operations all around, the cam-shaped extensionsremaining more or less in contact with the post throughout the pullingoperation so that the hooks are held closed securely and there is muchless likelihood of the post slipping out.

The grapple hooks are carried on a bracket attached to the drawbar, sothat the whole assembly tends to swing downwardly by gravity to inclinedposition when the ropes that are attached to the hooks for remotecontrol from the drivers seat are released after connection of the hookswith the post. The downward inclination is advantageous from thestandpoint that the assembly bites into the post on diametricallyopposite sides as the tractor moves forward, and there is, therefore,much less likelihood of slippage. The ropes enables the driver todisconnect the hooks from a post after it has been pulled out and tohold the assembly in a substantially horizontal plane with the hooksopened ready to receive a post to be pulled.

Another object is to provide a post pulling attachment in which thegrapple hooks are designed to permit fastening auxiliary claws on theshank portions of the hooks intermediate the ends thereof and nearenough to their pivoted end portions to better adapt the hooks to thepulling out of steel fence posts, which are conventionally of smallerT-shaped section.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- 1Fig. 1 is a plan view of a post puller attachment made in accordancewith my invention, showing the grapple hooks opened preparatory toconnection with a post;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing auxiliary claws attached to the shankportions of the hooks near their pivoted ends;

Fig. 3 is a side view of Fig. 1, indicating the drawbar in dotted lines;

Fig. 4 is a rear view of the attachment and drawbar assembly showing thehooks as they appear hanging idle;

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the hooks opened preparatory to beingraised for use, and

Figs. 6, 7, and 8 are perspective views illustrating the mode ofoperation, Fig. 6 illustrating the hooks raised and opened to receivethe post, Fig. 7 showing the relative 2,740,210 Patented Apr. 3, 1956disposition of the parts intermediate the open position of Fig. 6 andthe fully closed post-gripping position of Fig. 8, and Fig. 8 showingthe assembly firmly gripping and biting into the post in the pullingoperation.

The same reference numerals are applied to corresponding partsthroughout the views.

Referring to the drawing and particularly Figs. 1 and 3 to 5, thereference numeral 9 designates an elongated angle iron bracket, which isfastened by its vertical flange 10 to the drawbar 11 of a tractor bymeans of bolts 12. A lug 13 is welded, as at 14, to the upper edge ofthe flange 10 at the middle of the bracket in substantially parallelrelation to the horizontal flange 15. A pair of grapple hooks 16-17 arepivotally mounted on the bracket 9 on a vertical bolt 18 entered throughregistering holes in the lug 13 and flange 15. Each of the hooks 16-17has a cam-shaped extension 19 on its pivoted end portion, which are soarranged when the hooks are spread open for connection with a post P tocome into abutment with the post when the tractor is backed up againstit. This positively causes the hooks to swing about their pivot 18 in aclosing direction and thus automatically connect the hooks to the postand make ready for the post to be pulled out upon forward movement ofthe tractor, thereby obviating any necessity for the driver getting offthe tractor to connect the hooks to the post andspeeding up the postpulling operations all around. Perforated lugs or ears 20 are providedon the hooks 16-17 approximately midway of their length, and to each ofthese ears is attached a rope 21 for remote control of the hooks 16-17and the assembly as a whole. from the drivers seat, the ropes extendinglaterally from the hooks 16-17 in opposite directions, as indicated inFigs. 4 and 5, and threaded through suitable guides (not shown) providedtherefore on the rear of the tractor, whereby the ropes may be used topull the hooks apart to the wide-open position shown in Figs. 1, 5, and6, and at least one or" the ropes beign extended through an eye 22 inthe outer end of an upwardly reaching radius arm 23 that is bolted, asat 24, to the drawbar 11, whereby also to help to swing the assemblyupwardly relative to the drawbar bearings 25 that are provided on arms26 projecting rearwardly from the rear portion of the tractor, as shownin Fig. 6.

In operation, the driver pulls on ropes 21 to swing the hooks 16-17apart and at the same time swing the whole assembly up to anapproximately horizontal plane ready for connection with the post to bepulled. This can be done as the tractor is being maneuvered back towardthe post so that there is no time lost. The driver can look down at thehooks as the tractor is backed toward the post, so that there will bevery few times that a post to be pulled is missed on the first back-up.The opened-up hooks 16-17 are also spread enough to allow some leeway insteering. See Fig. 6 When the post P comes into abutment with thecam-shaped extensions 19, they swing the hooks 16-17 in a closingdirection to embrace the post. Hence, the hooks 16-17 are closed. Thedriver releases ropes 21 allowing the assembly to swing downwardly bygravity approximately to the position shown in Fig. 7. If at this pointthe tractor is backed up a trifle, the cam-shaped extensions 19 will bepressed into firm contact with the post and cause the grapple hooks16-17 to be closed still farther, as appears in Fig. 8, and then if thetractor moves forward the post is tilted forward and the assembly bitesinto the post on diametrically opposite sides and there is accordinglyvery little likelihood of slippage, the camshaped extensions 19 by theircontinued contact with the post on the forward side serving to keep thehooks 16 and 17 closed securely on the rearward side of the post. Thehooks 16-17 are therefore forced closed more and more as the post Ppresses more and more heavily against the cam-shaped extensions 19 asthe tractor moves forward. The hooks 16-17, which are either heavymalleable iron castings or steel forgings, bite" into the post on theouter side at a lower elevation, and the lug 13 bites into the post onthe inner side at a higher elevation in the first portion of the forwardtravel of the tractor, as indicated in Fig. 8, thereby reducinglikelihood of slippage. The greater the pull, the more the assemblybites into the post. As soon as a post is pulled out, the tractor can bebacked up a little bit, to help disengage the post from the hooks, andthen the ropes 21can be pulled so as to open the hooks 16-17 and releasethe post and thus make ready for the next post pulling operation. It isevident from the above that it is not necessary for the driver to getoff the tractor to connect the grapple hooks to or disconnect the samefrom a post. That accounts for a big saving in time and also avoidsfatigue for the operator.

In cases where T-section steel fence posts, like that indicated at P in.Fig. 2, are to be pulled out, the same attachment can be used ifauxiliary claws 26 and 27 are mounted on the shank portions of thegrapple hooks 16 and 17 near their pivoted end portions, holes 28 beingprovided in said shanks for the reception of bolts 29 for fasteningthese claws detachably. These claws are adapted to engage under theprojecting lugs 30 by means of which wire fencing is secured to thefence posts, whereby slippage is prevented in the pulling out of theposts.

It is believed the foregoing description conveys a good understanding ofthe objects and advantages of my invention. The appended claims havebeen drawn to cover all legitimate modifications and adaptations.

I claim:

1. A post pulling attachment for a tractor or the like, comprising adrawbar mounted on the tractor for pivotal movement on a horizontalaxis, a bracket secured to said drawbar, a pair of opposed grapple hooksof a size big enough to embrace a post to be pulled and having integralpivotal end portions pivotally mounting the hooks on the bracket, and anextension of appreciable length on the pivotal end portion of each hookextending beyond the pivot, the extensions being arranged to be engagedand moved by contact with the post to be pulled, whereby said hooks areself-actuated in closing on a post, said extensions each being at suchan angle relative to the related pivotal end portion so that theextensions are disposed in rearwardly diverging relation toward theopening betwen the free ends of the hooks when the hooks are spreadapart to receive a post.

2. A post pulling attachment as set forth in claim 1, including meansextending from the tractor and connected to each hook for pulling saidhooks to spread-open relationship.

3. A post pulling attachment as set forth in claim 1, wherein saidbracket is supported on the drawbar so as to tend to swing downwardly bygravity to a downwardly inclined position, said attachment includingmeans extending from the tractor and connected to said hooks for pullingthe same to spread-open relationship, said means being so arranged thatthe bracket and hooks are also swung upwardly to a substantiallyhorizontal position coincident with the opening of the hooks and held insuch position so long as the opening pull on the hooks is not relaxed.

4.'A post pulling attachment as set forth in claim 1, including a pairof auxiliary claws on said grapple hooks intermediate the ends thereofadapted to embrace a post of smaller cross-section to be pulled than canbe embraced closely by the grapple hooks.

5. A post pulling attachment as set forth in claim 1, including a pairof auxiliary claws on said grapple hooks intermediate the ends thereofadapted to embrace a post of smaller cross-section to be pulled than canbe em.- braced closely by the grapple hooks, and means connected to eachbook outwardly from the auxiliary claw for pulling said hooks tospread-open relationship.

6. A post pulling attachment as set forth in claim 1, including a pairof auxiliary claws on said grapple hooks intermediate the ends thereofadapted to embrace a post of smaller cross-section to be pulled than canbe embraced closely by the grapple hooks, said bracket being supportedon the drawbar so as to tend to swing downwardly by gravity to adownwardly inclined position, said attachment including means connectedto said hooks for pulling the same to spread-open relationship, saidmeans being so arranged that the bracket and hooks are also swungupwardly to a substantially horizontal position coincident with theopening of the hooks and held in such position so long as the openingpull on the hooks is not relaxed.

7. In a grapple device applicable to a vehicle that is to do the pullingof the thing grappled, a pair of grapple hooks pivoted on a common axison a support on the vehicle, and an extension of appreciable length onthe pivotal end portion of each hook extending beyond the the pivot ontothe other side of the pivot and projecting toward the opening betweenthe free ends of the hooks opened for grappling, but curved away fromsaid opening, whereby the extensions are arranged to be engaged andmoved to close said hooks by push contact with the thing to be grappled,the support for the hooks carrying the same on an upright pivotal axisin the coupling operation, but said support being carried on the vehiclewith freedom to swing downwardly by gravity to a depending position, andmeans connected to said hooks for pulling the same to spread-openrelationship, said means being so arranged that the support and hooksare also swung upwardly to a substantially horizontal positioncoincident with the opening of the hooks and held in such position solong as the opening pull on the hooks is not relaxed.

8. In a grapple device applicable to a vehicle that is to do the pullingof the thing grappled, a pair of grapple hooks pivoted on a common axison a support on the vehicle, and an extension of appreciable length onthe pivotal end portion of each hook extending beyond the pivot onto theother side of the pivot and projecting toward the opening between thefree ends of the hooks opened for grappling, but curved away from saidopening, whereby the extensions are arranged to be engaged and moved toclose said hooks by push contact with the thing to be grappled, and apair of auxiliary claws on said grapple hooks intermediate the endsthereof adapted to embrace a thing of smaller cross-section to be pulledthan can be embraced closely by the grapple hooks.

9. In a grapple device applicable to a vehicle that is to do the pullingof the thing grappled, a pair of grapple hooks pivoted on a common axison a support on the vehicle, and an extension of appreciable length onthe pivotal end portion of each hook extending beyond the pivot onto theother side of the pivot and projecting toward the opening between thefree ends of the hooks opened for grappling, but curved away from saidopening, whereby the extensions are arranged to be engaged and moved toclose said hooks by push contact with the thing to be grappled, a pairof auxiliary claws on said grapple hooks intermediate the ends thereofadapted to embrace the thing to be grappled when of smaller girth thancan be embraced closely by said grapple hooks, the support for the hookscarrying the same on an upright pivotal axis in the coupling operation,but said support being carried on the vehicle with freedom to swingdownwardly by gravity to a depending position, and means connected tosaid hooks for pulling the same to spread-open relationship, said meansbeing so arranged that the support and hooks are also swung upwardly toa substantially horizontal position coincident with the opening of thehooks and held in such position so long as the opening pull on the hooksis not relaxed.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSBurlihart Apr. 8, 1873'

